Law Enforcement Partners

VRE does not have its own police personnel. However, we are fully supported by law enforcement partners from all levels of government throughout the VRE service region (see Special Programs), as well as through full cooperation from official railroad police forces employed by Norfolk Southern, CSXT and Amtrak.

Local and federal law enforcement officers, in conjunction with the Visual Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) team, conduct joint security exercises on board VRE trains and at VRE stations throughout the year.

VRE also gathers crime data from local law enforcement agencies so that passengers can be kept up to date on recommended practices for staying safe while at our stations and at nearby parking lots.

In addition, VRE offers in-depth system familiarization training to local first responders such as police EMS and fire. Local police patrol VRE properties located within their respective jurisdictions and VRE also offers in depth system familiarization to federal agencies such as the Customs and Border Patrol Canine Teams.

As a further measure of preparedness and cooperation, VRE invites local, state and federal law enforcement partners to participate in our annual full scale emergency simulations conducted by VRE. Here, members of the previously mentioned authorities can gain complete familiarity with the environment in which we operate, the rail equipment's emergency access and evacuation features and a variety of other situations that responders may face that are unique to passenger rail.